


Where Sapphire Roses Grow

by AnchoredTether



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Angst, Beauty and the Beast AU, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Curse Breaking, Curses, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fairy Tale Curses, Feral Behavior, Graphic Description, Humanity, Hurt/Comfort, I fix all the things wrong with the live action movie, Lance is also more of a chimera, Magic, Pidge pretends to be a guy at first, Red String of Fate, Sickfic, Slow Burn, Transformation, and add a few twists to the original, beast!lance, monster!lance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2020-06-23 12:36:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19701508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnchoredTether/pseuds/AnchoredTether
Summary: When is a monster not a monster? Oh, when you love it.A sapphire rose signifies the time Lance has left to break the curse or forever remain a monster. As his humanity continually slips away, he has come to accept that he will never find love nor be loved in return. But then he finds himself with a hope smiling at him, her amber eyes searching beyond appearances and into his heart...Pidge has always wanted more. Constrained in a society that believes women shouldn't learn how to read let alone invent, she has to disguise herself as a man to do that which she loves. She yearns for the freedom to be herself and ironically finds it when she's held captive in a castle...Both Pidge and Lance learn that first appearances are deceiving.And curses aren't always as they seem...





	1. Sapphire

_Let me tell you a tale as old as time._

_What makes a monster and what makes a man?_

_I honestly couldn't tell you._

_I always thought curses and witches were the things of fairy tales. I had quite the rude awakening several years ago when a witch cursed me into a monster, turned my staff into enchanted objects, and gave me a sapphire rose as the heart of my curse. Did I deserve such a punishment? Most certainly not. Was everything the witch said about me true? Definitely so. Yet it seemed cruel to turn me into such a creature for merely denying an old beggar shelter and dragging my staff into it when they were not to blame. I was the only one at fault._

_As soon as I start to feel even remotely human again, I relapse. I fall prey to the monster caged inside me. I'll start to feel normal, feel like my old self, genuinely laugh for once, and then the next thing I know I'm waking up covered in crimson. The monster likes to hunt, it likes to slaughter. The memories are always a blur of instinct and rage and I have to wonder how much of me is slipping away with each passing year._

_According to the witch who did this to me, I was a monster when I was a man. My actions were indifferent, selfish, proud._

_Now that I am a monster it's hard to tell what I am anymore._

_Mostly agitated and despondent._

_There was such bright hope for me in the beginning. I was certain I could break the curse. The witch said if I could learn to love and be loved in return before the last petal of the enchanted rose fell, the curse would be lifted. But as soon as that hope had blossomed, the monster crushed its petals into scarlet. I realized I wasn't just cursed to look like a monster, I was cursed to become a monster. How could anyone learn to love someone who would inevitably turn and try to kill them?_

_The curse is a mockery. The witch gave me a way to break it but not without chaining me down, preventing me from leaving this hell. I am constantly staring at the door to my freedom, only to be incapable of reaching it. There is no hope for me, and there never will be._

_It's fitting that the enchanted rose is blue. It doesn't exist in nature and is instead made by changing the color of a white rose with dyes, much like how my own appearance was altered. A blue rose means "unattainable love," and I think that's fitting both for my love and the love I wish to receive. The rose is the color of my eyes, the last and only human trait I have left. It perfectly embodies the hopelessness of my curse, of how I will never be human again._

_I think this will be my last winter._

_A year from now the rose will be dead._

_And I will be gone._


	2. Provincial Life

All she wanted was fresh bread but obtaining some was turning out to be a pain.

It was autumn which meant Iverson was dishing out his famous cinnamon Fougasse and Pidge salivated at the mere thought of it. She was out grabbing a part from the shop for her father and the temptation of delicious yeast drew her to the long line. She had plenty of minutes to spare until she heard a smooth velvet voice sounding in the distance.

She was too late, her plans to vanish through the alleyway completely thwarted. "Miss Holt, a pleasure to see you."

 _That's debatable,_ she wanted to say, but looking up at the obnoxiously tall man she instead awkwardly stammered like a startled deer. "Uh… morning, Count Lotor." She certainly didn't want to say it was a _good_ morning because she had to talk to the Count and she had no bread. But she addressed him by his title so she wasn't being _completely_ rude.

"I particularly enjoyed your contributions last night, they were quite spectacular," he said with a flashy grin, a hint of mischievousness in his eyes.

Pidge felt her socially awkward fluttering heart drop into her stomach. Last night was the science convention, a stuffy meeting full of men discussing the latest advancements… and one girl disguised as a boy.

"I wouldn't call easy mathematical equations something spectacular," she tried to say coolly but it mostly came out as a nervous blurb. The worst part was that she rarely spoke in those meetings (for fear of her father or brother discovering her) so she never voiced her greatest discoveries, only simple findings. If he was praising her at such little contributions, she felt a gripping dread at how he'd react to the hidden fountain of her knowledge.

"Can you just imagine the possibilities?" he asked in awe, his eyes practically sparkling. She was about to say something about scientific discoveries but he continued in the worst way possible. "What we could accomplish together with our combined intellect? I've been in want of a wife and none of the women in this town compare to your brilliance-"

"W-wife?!"

"Oh, and your secret would be safe with me." He placed a hand on his chest with an air of fake sincerity that made Pidge feel like she was getting pulled into a contract with the devil. "You would even be allowed to attend as a guest every so often, completely as yourself."

 _Every so often?_ The man couldn't understand! Pidge could see it now - Madam Lotor, trophy wife of the Count who would show up 'every so often' at the science conventions to look pretty while he got all the credit for her accomplishments. Women weren't allowed to be smart - she received enough shame from the town on a daily basis only for being literate. If the town knew exactly how intelligent she was she would be burned at the stake for witchcraft without question.

Unfortunately Pidge was so full of anxiety at the sudden situation that all she could muster was an achingly painful, "I'll think about it."

"Ah, yes, of course. I know this seems sudden and you'd like time to consider such an arrangement." He took a few steps backward as he started to head off. "You know where to find me once you've made a decision." He offered one last smile before turning away, his deep purple tail coats flapping behind him.

Pidge made a sound of disgust, fully sticking her tongue out as she thought about marrying Lotor. He was certainly attractive with his russet skin and long raven hair, wealthy beyond measure, and incredibly charismatic. But she knew Lotor had ulterior motives behind the mask of desiring her hand in marriage. From the few romantic novels she read, she dreamed of a fantastic love mysterious and grand, like meeting a prince and not realizing who he is until they were both hopelessly smitten. A marriage with Lotor felt like nothing more than a business agreement.

What she ultimately desired more than anything was for someone to _understand._ Hiding the fact she was a girl at the place she loved to be most made her feel incomplete. She wanted to be loved for the sum of her parts, not only that which was convenient or advantageous. She looked down at the package in her arms and then to the long line outside the bakery, deciding to leave and head on home. Perhaps she'd attempt to get some cinnamon Fougasse tomorrow.

She lost her appetite anyway.

* * *

Pidge moaned loudly as she slumped down on the couch in a gracefully unladylike manner, the ruffled hem of her blue skirt flying up to reveal her knee above her laced boots. Her father gave her a look above his lowered spectacles before returning his attention to his tinkering. "Everything alright?"

"Peachy," she answered dryly.

" _That's_ convincing," Matt said as he entered the living room, slapping a letter down on the desk next to Sam. "Kolivan wanted me to give this to you."

Sam arched a brow at him before picking up the envelope and opening its contents. Pidge glanced her eyes over to see both of them reading the letter with pensive expressions. After a moment, Sam let out a hum. "That's rather odd."

"What is it?" she asked, sitting up and leaning forward. Her heart pounded at their silence, wondering if it was something urgent concerning her mother. "What's odd??"

" _The patron requests that they not be seen_ ," Matt quoted. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Pidge now sat at the edge of the couch, impatient. "What does the letter say?"

"Kolivan wants us to cover one of his regular deliveries since he is ill," Sam explained. "It's on the way to my invention conference but it looks like I'll have to leave two days early if I'm to make this shipment on time. That works out fine, I can spend a few days more with your mother." He looked up at Pidge across the room. "Will you be alright on your own for a few days more?"

She nodded. Despite how much she loved her family she quite enjoyed the freedom of having the place to herself. With her family's slow transition from the big city to this provincial town there was a lot of time as of late for her to spend alone. Matt mostly spent time caring for their sick mother who remained at their house in the city while Sam worked on moving loads of their stuff to the new cottage. "What did it say about not being seen?"

"This person wants us to drop of a bunch of supplies at a random spot in the woods and we're not allowed to see them or seek them out," Matt said. "Isn't that weird? What's wrong with them?"

"Maybe they're socially awkward?" She shrugged. "Or have some kind of disease?"

"I bet they're hideously deformed, like a hunchback hiding in a cathedral. Or! What if they're a werewolf?! And they can't pick up the shipment because it's evening by the time it arrives?"

She scoffed. "Werewolves only shift on the full moon, silly."

"It's still strange, don't you think?"

"It's definitely curious…" she said as her mind raced with fantasies of the mysterious patron.

"I'm sure they have their reasons," Sam interjected. "We could use the extra money and we'd be doing Kolivan a huge favor. We'll head out tomorrow morning, so make sure you're ready," he said to Matt who nodded.

"I'll write mom a letter," Pidge announced before heading up to her room.

As much as she wanted to vent to her mother about her proposal from Lotor, she decided it would be best to keep it a secret for now. As much as she hated to admit it, marrying him would greatly help her family. They were at a financial low with all of Colleen's medical bills and the main reason they moved to the countryside was because they couldn't afford to live in the city anymore. Agreeing to marry Lotor would fix all that, even possibly help cure her mother. From a logical standpoint, it would be ridiculous not to marry him in her current situation.

But she knew marrying him wouldn't give her the freedom to study and invent as she desired. It would chain her to a life of slaving away on academic discoveries for his benefit. As much as she loved the conventions she was tired of pretending to be something she wasn't in order to be heard. She wanted to be acknowledged and loved for what she truly was.

After a restless sleep, Pidge saw her father and brother off in the morning as they rode on Beezer and Rover. She watched the silver-dappled and bay horses travel down the southern path until she could see them no more. She shivered when the breeze picked up as she played with the triangular charm around her neck, her heart troubled. It wasn't until Bae Bae whined at her feet that she snapped out of her wandering thoughts.

"Don't worry girl, they'll be back in a week," she reassured the bull terrier with a smile. Bae Bae looked up at her and, after a brief moment of uncertainty, wagged her tail. Pidge let out a small laugh and then turned towards the center square and she happily followed.

"Come on, nothing sounds quite better than some fresh warm bread on a cold day!"


	3. Aftermath

He never realized what he was doing while in a feral trance.

But he always remembered afterward.

Lance felt like he was waking from a deep sleep, the thickness enshrouding his consciousness slowly lifting like a fog in the morning breeze. He found himself sitting on the ground in the vaulted entryway, paused mid-lick along his forearm. He made a sound of disgust and quickly retreated his tongue, putting down his blue and white scaled arm. His mouth was filled with the bitter, salty taste of blood and he felt disgusting. Just because he could digest raw meat now didn't mean that he enjoyed it.

Psychologically, at least.

He was still decently covered in crimson so he made his way towards the bath, turned on the tap, and numbly watched the ornate porcelain tub fill up. Despite having a water heater, he chose to fill it with cold water, stepping slowly in its cool depth and situating himself so he was laying on his stomach with his chin propped up on the edge of the tub, his entire body submerged save for his head. He closed his eyes and sat there to soak, but let out a tired exhale when he heard the wheels of Hunk's tea tray cart approaching. He heard the tray stop with a pregnant pause of silence but Lance kept his eyes closed despite knowing he was there.

"They're getting worse, aren't they?"

Lance let out an annoyed moan as his answer.

"You were gone for over half of the day."

"It happens," he said irritably.

"This isn't something to make light of!" Hunk fretted. He could practically hear the steam coming out of his spout. "There's gotta be something we can do, something to help you feel more human… perhaps it's time you try opening the east wing back up-"

"Noooo!" Lance whined, finally cracking open one blue eye to glare at the tea kettle. His triangular feline ears were flat against his head and part of him wanted to tell Hunk to leave. "There is literally no point!"

"The point is that I want you to feel like yourself again."

"I don't have much time left anyways," he muttered. "So why put in the effort?"

" _Because_ ," Hunk stressed. "I don't want to see you like this."

He opened both eyes and turned his head to look at him fully, his brows lowered and his voice terse. "See me like _what_ , exactly?"

He let out a sigh. "Miserable."

"Well, that's how I feel, Hunk. You try waking up and realizing you were in monster mode this morning and find yourself licking the blood off your hands and tell me how enthusiastic you'd feel about the prospect of trying so desperately to be something you're _not_."

"You're still _human_."

"Yeah? By how much!?" He sat up, white hands wrapped around the edge of the tub as he leaned forward, water trailing from his chest and shoulders. "I don't even _bleed_ like a human anymore. How much of me can you possibly say with confidence is still human??"

"Your heart is still human, Lance," he answered softly. "It's always been your greatest trait, how you can be so earnest and passionate about that which you love, and it's the last thing that's keeping you human. I know it seems impossible but you still have plenty of heart left in you to find the love that will break your curse."

His features softened, his ears swiveling forward and drooping slightly. He lowered his hands back to the bottom of the tub but remained sitting up as he stared at his warped, shifting reflection in the water. "Even if that's so," he responded barely above a whisper, "there's no one who could possibly see it. The curse is a two-way street, and no matter how far I get… there is no one coming to save me." 

Hunk was quiet a moment. He knew Lance was right - the odds of a girl finding the castle, not bolting at the sight of Lance, let alone falling in love with him were slim at best, and Lance had to love her as well. He had a feeling everyone in the castle knew the odds of their inevitable fate, but Hunk preferred to focus on the brighter side of things. "You never know… and there's always Romelle, Nyma, and… Allura."

Lance let out a long groan. "Romelle isn't interested in me, Nyma's not my type, and Allura… well, you already know how that won't work out."

"People can change. And it's never too late to start."

He threw his head back and let out a dark laugh. "Even if we ever managed to become friends again, there is no way Allura would ever love me. She has made that _very_ clear." He situated himself back onto his stomach to rest in the tub. "Now if you'll excuse me I have some blood to soak out of my fur."

"As you wish," he answered sadly, leaving Lance to his misery. 

* * *

Pidge was enjoying the past two days of freedom hiding away in the house avoiding Lotor. Bae Bae kept her company while she enjoyed hot cocoa and reread her favorite book in her father's library: _Science of the Cosmos._ A violent rainstorm pounded against the windowpanes but she found the sound soothing. She only hoped that the journey for her father and brother was going smoothly.

It was late afternoon when she was working on cleaning the dishes and heard Bae Bae barking at the door followed by a frantic neighing outside. She set down the dish and wiped her hands on her apron, opening the front door to find Beezer skittering about with quick snorts and squeals.

"Hey hey hey," Pidge said calmly as she stepped forward and grabbed his reigns, patting him gently along his neck. Her heart quickened as she saw her father was nowhere to be seen, but Beezer was still saddled and his legs covered in mud. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

She ran into the house, adrenaline rushing through her as every worse possible scenario reeled through her head. She threw off her dress and changed into her male disguise, slipping on her riding boots and grabbing a handful of supplies in case she had to treat a wound or broken leg. She had to hurry but she also wanted to be prepared. She took one of Matt's cloaks and tied her hair back into a low ponytail.

"I'll hopefully be back soon, Bae Bae." She gave her dog a reassuring scratch behind the ear and headed outside, lifting herself up onto Beezer while his head was lowered into a water trough. When he was done drinking, she took hold of the reins. "Lead me to him," she commanded the horse before he set off at a gallop down the southern path.

The rain was merciless, her hood offering little to no protection for her eyes. She was thankful Beezer was a skilled, intelligent horse, able to weave his way through muddy dips in the path and flooded sections without slipping or faltering. He knew exactly where to go despite the storm and approaching darkness of nightfall. It was a long ride through the forest and the time it took to arrive wherever her father could be had her worried. But she had never seen Beezer so spooked before - something serious had to have happened. The fact that there was also no sign of Matt or Rover had her stomach twisting in knots.

Lightning cracked overhead and she saw towers of a castle illuminated in the distance above the trees as the following thunder shook the sky. Pidge had no idea what she was getting into and despite her intrigue, she was mostly scared. She couldn't think of any royalty that lived to the south of her village and a part of her was filled with dread at the idea that it could be Lotor's mansion and he was keeping her father to get her to agree to his hand in marriage. It wouldn't surprise her if he went to such lengths.

As they approached closer she could see the castle more clearly and her heart turned from dread to a deep fear. Riding past the dark trees of the forest she saw they were marked with long stripes that turned silver in the flashes of lightning. After a moment of confusion she realized they were _claw marks_ , deep grooves that cut into the lighter flesh of the wood. Almost all the trees were covered with them like an omen and now she wondered if she would find her father dead if she found him at all.

Beezer stopped at the gate and despite the tall iron door being open, he refused to continue into the garden. Pidge stared at the looming castle in awe as she gathered her courage and dismounted. This had to be the home of the mysterious patron in Kolivan's letter but the place felt awfully empty for such a large castle. She gave her horse a few pats before continuing along the garden path that led to a grand stair entrance.

Pidge hardly had time to marvel at the architecture as she rushed inside, realizing she didn't even bother with knocking as she leaned against the incredibly tall door behind her. The inside was dark, which wasn't surprising since it was the middle of the night, but a moment after she entered, the sconces along the walls lit up by themselves, bathing a spacious entryway with wide stairs that led up to the left and right in warm candlelight. Her veins ran cold and she looked around the door and light fixtures for some kind of mechanism she could have triggered but she found nothing. She felt uncertainty beat fervently within her chest but she took a deep breath and continued further into the castle. She grabbed a lit candlestick off of a table and ventured to the left.

The hallway lit itself up for her and she felt her stomach knot itself further. What kind of madness had her father and brother gotten themselves into? She felt like she was inside one of her fantasy novels and she was not enjoying how it was turning into a mystery horror. Just when her mind wondered if she'd find out the mysterious patron was in fact a werewolf, her candlestick illuminated giant claw marks in the wooden floor. She stopped in her tracks to stare at the lines and discern how large the paws were on the creature that caused it. Much larger than a wolf, even larger than a man.

Pidge clutched the candlestick more tightly, hoping the beast was scared of fire. She quietly continued to explore, finding one set of doors was locked but when she quietly called out to her father and Matt at the bottom gap of the door she heard nothing. She started to wonder if they were even here, but she knew Beezer wouldn't run back to the house in a panic and lead her to a random castle unless they were here.

The overwhelming silence had her more spooked than anything. She was waiting for a monster to spring out of the darkness at any moment, and every shadowy corner she passed felt like a test of courage. At the end of the hall there was a door that had an outside lock that required no key. She thought it was odd, but more than likely the place where her family was being held against their will. She slowly turned the mechanism to avoid any loud clicks and opened the door to the spiraling staircase of a dreary tower. There were no magical candles along the curved stone walls to light her path so she ascended into the darkness with the candlestick in her hand.

The tower had to be a prison of some sort. Within the center of the stairs there were rooms with locks on the outside of the wooden doors, all of them leading to small circular chambers that held little more than a floormat and possibly a chair. She opened four empty rooms until she reached the last room before the stairs led to the roof. _This has to be it. Let them be here._

When she opened the last door she found her father lying on the ground, his eyes blinking as he took her in. "Pidge? Pidge, what are you doing here?!" He sat up, his voice urgent and full of fear. "You need to get out of here, now!"

"Why are you locked away in here? Where's Matt?" She knelt down in front of Sam and set the candlestick down on the stone floor, pulling him into a hug. "What happened to you two?"

"Matt ran off to your mother, he's fine." He pulled back to hold her by the shoulders, his expression tense. "Pidge, listen to me: you must leave, _now."_

"No! I just barely got here, I'm getting you out of this tower!"

A voice sounded behind her, sending a chill up her spine as it echoed within the room:

_"No, you're not."_

She inhaled sharply, slowly turning her head over her shoulder to find the source of the voice only to have her entire body grow cold. The massive silhouette behind her wasn't _human._ The doors had to be seven feet tall and her father's captor was hunched over in order to see into the room. It stood digitigrade on elongated, clawed reptilian feet, a long feline tail twitching irritably behind it. Its eyes glinted red from the candlelight and Pidge had to swallow hard in order to find her voice once more.

"Y-you can't just… hold a person captive! What did he ever do to deserve this?!"

"His idiotic son broke the one rule." Its voice didn't sound like a monster, it sounded like it belonged to a man. Pidge wasn't sure if that made her more terrified or more confused. "No one can know of my existence so he had to be held captive to keep your father's mouth shut. But he took his son's place like a fool."

 _No one can know of your existence?_ The statement puzzled her, but a flash of lightning outside started to answer her question as it faintly outlined the beast's silhouette. What stood out to her most were the antlers atop its head and the curved claws on its hands and feet. Even disregarding the fact that it could talk, this was no ordinary creature. Her curiosity overtook her fear and in a deep breath of bravery, she slowly stood up and faced her father's captor.

"Come into the light," she said softly. "Why can no one know of your existence?"

The beast lowered itself onto all fours and slowly entered the room. "Because something like me should not exist."

The first thing she saw was a large, white scaled hand, much in the shape of a human's, with long cat-like claws gleaming on the fingertips. One look at the monster's hands and she knew it could tear her to ribbons within seconds if it so wished. The scales traveled up its forearms with accents of blue but most of its body was covered in various shades of brown fur. Bright teal feathers covered the shoulders and chest, trailing up the sides of its neck. Its face was surprisingly human despite the fur and russet-colored triangular nose. Two long, brown cat ears were pinned back in annoyance and bone-white antlers curved backwards and curled up behind its head like giant thorns.

It was a chimera, something straight out of legend and myth, both frightening and beautiful. It certainly shouldn't have existed and she saw now that anyone who laid eyes on it would kill it out of fear or perform unspeakable forms of experimentation in hopes of finding some magical benefit. For all Pidge knew, this beast could have the cure to the plague in its blood. She wasn't one to ever believe in magic but the candles lighting themselves and the visage of the beast had her questioning everything.

Its sapphire eyes were human.

And for the briefest of moments, Pidge was no longer afraid.

"Let me take my father's place."

"What? Pidge, no!" Sam stood up and held her by the arm. "You can't do this! I took Matt's place for a reason, and I won't allow you to do this!"

"Fine," the beast said decisively, reaching out a clawed hand and grabbing Sam by the shirt. "Same deal: if you tell anyone about my existence, I'll kill your other idiotic son. He'll be of more use to me than you anyway." The creature pulled him out of the room and paused at the door, turning its head slightly to look back. "Come on Shiro, stop playing inanimate."

Pidge was dumbfounded until a sigh sounded beside her and she saw the candlestick move on its own and follow after its monster of a master… then she became royally confused. Before she could snap out of her shock they were gone, the door was shut, and she remained in darkness and silence.

"Wait! Please stop for just a minute!" She ran to the door and tried the handle but it was locked, so she pounded her fist against the wood. "Please, I- I didn't get to say goodbye!"

Her shouts were in vain as she crumpled to the floor, her sobs breaking free. Everything happened so fast. While she did not regret her decision, she wished she had more time to speak with her father. She reckoned she would never see him again unless she could somehow convince the beast to let her go with a promise that she'd never reveal its existence. She was grateful it seemed to believe she was a boy for the line _"be of more use to me"_ caused a shudder to pass through her shoulders. She could only imagine what kind of uses she would be to the monster if it knew she were a girl. All the monsters in fairy tales ate the hearts of pure virgin girls so she had to keep up the guise if she were to survive in this castle.

Pidge clutched the pendant on her necklace as she laid in the cold tower and cried herself to sleep, the sound of rain against the window panes and the occasional sound of thunder the only things keeping her company as her heart ached within the darkness. Before she lost consciousness she made a promise to her family, determining herself to succeed.

She would find a way to escape.

Even if she had to kill the beast to be free.


	4. First Impressions

Pidge hardly slept through the storm and her turbulent emotions but at some point in the early morning she passed out from her exhaustion. She awoke to the sound of two muffled voices arguing on the other side of the door and once it bolted open she sat upright, ready to face the beast but instead she was greeted by a candlestick and a clock.

"Good morning!" the candlestick said. The silver metal was animate and the middle branch held a man's face beneath the candle's placeholder, the other two branches acting like arms as it moved about. "How are you feeling?"

"Uuuhhh... you're a candelabra." Her eyes were wide as she stared between the two animate objects.

"You saw the master and you think a talking candelabra is weird." He let out an exasperated sigh.

"The 'master'? I think it called you Shiro? Is that your name? What are you? What is this place? What exactly is your master??"

"So many questions!" the clock said with a strange thick accent. The decorative sides of the clock acted like arms and there were two beady eyes on the clock's face, the hands positioned like a mustache above its moving mouth. "The more questions you ask, the probability of them being answered doesn't halve but becomes reduced to a fraction of a percentage."

The candlestick gave a side glare to the clock but took a few steps closer to her. "My apologies, I've been so rude. I am Takashi Shirogane but you can call me Shiro. I am the Steward of this house. And this here is Slav, the master of the house. We will happily answer all your questions but we should get you out of this tower first."

"What about the master?" she asked, worry gnawing at her mind at the thought of seeing him again. "Won't he get mad?"

Shiro rolled his eyes. "Oh he can deal with it. We're not letting you stay in this tower. We were already planning to get your father out this morning, but... things changed, as you know."

"Why did my brother come here in the first place? He knew he wasn't supposed to see the patron! And now I can see why..."

"The storm was terrible last night," Slav explained, "and your brother and father sought shelter."

"Idiot..." she sighed. "His intentions were good though. Our mother is sick and I think the last thing he wanted was to see our father fall ill as well..."

"What was your name? I believe your father called you 'Pidge'?" Shiro asked.

"Ah, yes. Pidge." She wanted to keep up her guise as a male for as long as she could. The nickname Pidge sounded masculine enough and she was fairly certain her father never used any pronouns in regards to her last night.

"Pidge, I'm sorry about your mother. And I'm sorry about..." He waved his candlesticks about. "This whole mess. Perhaps we can reason with the master, but for now let's get you in a proper room." He led the way out of the chamber and down the spiraling stairs, Slav waiting for Pidge to follow before he trailed on behind her.

"So how can you - forgive me if this sounds rude, but - how can you... talk?" she asked as they slowly descended the stairs. Even though the candelabra had 'legs' and the clock could swivel and hop with his 'feet,' they couldn't move all that fast.

"Believe it or not we're actually human."

"You're... what?"

"Cursed, to be specific," Slav piped.

"The master too was once human," Shiro explained. "He was cursed by a witch to become a beast and we, his staff, became objects."

"Really? I-" Pidge stopped in her tracks, suddenly feeling like everything made more sense but simultaneously made her more confused with a new swarm of questions. She was still trying to wrap her scientific head around the existence of magic, let alone that the people in this castle were transformed in a curse. "That's... that's awful. It explains why all of you can talk, though. Why did a witch curse your master?"

"Technically? He refused to give an old beggar - who turned out to be the witch - shelter during a storm. But there may be more intentions there that we don't fully understand yet."

She was quiet a moment as they neared the door to the tower. "It does seem odd to curse so many people in such a cruel manner out of spite. If she can turn a man into a monster, surely she could have made herself some shelter?"

"… it's hard to say," Shiro answered simply, leading her back out to the entranceway and up the grand staircase, heading to the left when they branched. "There's a spare room in the east wing which can be yours for now. I'm hoping we'll be able to talk some sense into the master and you won't have to stay, at least not for long. But you might as well be comfortable."

"I appreciate that," she said warily. She was waiting for the beast to spring from a door at any moment and drag her back to the tower but the castle was eerily quiet. As they made their way through the hall, she could see the interior of the castle more easily in the morning light. The floors were a deep warm wood and intricate paneling covered a third of the height of the smoky painted walls. White double doors opened on their own, and Pidge was starting to wonder if everything in the castle was enchanted in some way.

The room they entered had pale sage walls with white decorative trim, and a massive floor-length arched window gave a magnificent view of the ocean to the south. The furniture was elaborate and a king-sized canopy bed had a matching light green comforter embroidered with decorative vines. As tempted as she was to plop on the bed and get some proper rest, she made her way to the window and admired the crashing waves in the distance. She glanced down and calculated the room was well over a hundred feet high so she made note that the window probably wouldn't serve as a good escape route.

"You're probably hungry," Shiro said, breaking her from her thoughts. "I'll have Hunk get you something."

"Oh, um… thank you," she answered awkwardly before the candlestick and clock left, closing the doors behind them. She let out a long sigh and made her way over to the large bed, plopping down face first and moaning. She still couldn't believe how fast everything had happened and she was still trying to comprehend the weird situation. She felt an anxiety and dread about seeing the beast again but she had to keep her head in the game and figure out an escape. She was too exhausted to think at the moment however, and wanted nothing more than to fall asleep right there on the soft mattress.

And before she knew it a wardrobe was talking to her.

"You look tired!!"

Pidge nearly jumped off the bed when she jolted up at the voice, whipping her head around looking for a person but then remembered everyone in the castle were objects and found that the white wardrobe had a painted face in its blue, violet, and pink accented design and it was looking at her.

"Would you like to change into a nightshirt? You'll be far more cozy." The wardrobe ruffled her doors excitedly and Pidge could only stare at her with a confused expression.

"I'm… I'm good for now, thanks." She sat up and worked on unlacing her boots - she would at least take those off. "What's your name?"

"I'm Romelle! I'm the head housekeeper. And I hear your name is Pidge?"

She nodded, pulling off her shoes and setting them to the side of the bed. She pulled her feet up under her and looked out at the warm morning sky against the cool ocean. "Imprisonment might not be so bad with a view like this every morning."

"We're all working on convincing the master to let you go," Romelle said softly. "So hopefully you won't be here long."

"I don't plan to be," she answered determinedly.

When she looked over at the wardrobe after she let out a soft gasp, Pidge could have sworn there were sparkles in her purple eyes. "You plan to escape?" she whispered, inching closer although it was a very loud movement as she swiveled side to side.

Pidge looked her up and down, pausing for a moment as she weighed her options. She realized now that she said too much but it would also be impossible to hide an escape plan from someone who was constantly in the room with her. Perhaps it would be better to have a confidant. She nodded slowly, saying softly, "Please keep it a secret."

"Oh I'm excellent at keeping secrets," Romelle whispered back with a giddy smile. "I know all kinds of secrets about the master that could help."

Pidge felt a strange reassurance wash over her with Romelle's words. They felt genuine, and not only was she willing to help and keep her secret, but she had knowledge about the beast and Pidge felt more confident in being able to know her enemy. If she could learn the beast's weaknesses, she had an even greater chance at finding her freedom.

Just when her hopes were lifted, they plummeted at the sight of the open doors where the beast stood.

"What are you doing in here," he said behind clenched fangs.

She stood up, balling her hands into fists to hide that she was shaking. The beast's pearly claws looked even longer in the daylight. "Shiro and Slav escorted me here."

"You should be in the tower!" He took a few steps into the room so he was closer, his long body looming over her as his tail lashed irritably behind him. The teal feathers on his shoulders and near the end of his tail were flared out. "I put you there for a reason!"

She had to crane her neck up to look at him in the eyes since she barely reached his ribcage. "Why? Because it's the only place with outside locks to ensure I wouldn't escape?"

"No, it has nothing to do with _that_ ," he snarled with a strange rumbling and hissing sound rising from his chest. "I trust you're smart enough to know I can easily outrun you if you attempt an escape, so there's no point in trying!"

She blinked a few times, confused by what he meant by that but distracted by his last statement. "You can't keep me here forever."

"Sure I can! I'm a monster in a castle! What did you expect?!"

"You should have at least let me say goodbye to my father! What if I never see him again?!"

"Not everyone in life is afforded such a luxury. You should be _grateful_ I spared his life!"

"You wouldn't have killed him," she tried, her voice hurt.

"How would you even _know?"_ he spat.

"You were once human."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "That was a long time ago."

Romelle nervously shuffled closer to them. "Master, surely it's fine to keep your prisoner here in the main part of the castle? It's only getting closer to winter and that tower will be freezing-"

"He needs to remain in the tower and you should know why!!"

"What is the reason?!" Pidge asked angrily. "Tell me what your stupid reason is!"

"I don't have to tell you _anything!!"_

 _"LANCE."_ A voice cut in, causing the room to go silent save for the beast's low growling. He turned his head to the source of the voice, a tea kettle sitting atop a cart in the doorway. "That is not how we treat our guests."

"He is _NOT_ a guest!"

"Then that is not how we treat another human being!" He wheeled in closer and Pidge saw there was also an animate sugar pot next to the tea kettle, both of them with faces painted in their designs like Romelle. "I brought enough tea and biscuits for you too so you should sit down and stop being an absolute pain!"

The beast looked between the tea kettle and Pidge a few times before landing on Pidge with a glare. "I'm not hungry," he snarled and stormed out of the room, slamming the doors behind him as he left and leaving four fresh claw marks into the wood. Pidge didn't realize she was holding her breath until the tea kettle spoke again.

"I apologize for the master's… unruly behavior," he said with a sigh. "I promise he's not always like that."

She took a deep inhale and slowly sat back down on the bed as her muscles began to untense. "What is he like then? You called him Lance?" Knowing his name somehow helped her to see him more human.

The tea kettle leaned over on one side to pour tea into a cup and Pidge could smell it was peppermint. When he landed back on his base the cup and saucer floated over to her and she carefully took hold of it. "Lance is a very… complex fellow. I've known him since we were kids. He's good at faking confidence in a charismatic way but he's actually quite insecure and a bit of a mess. But Lance has always been a kind soul, willing to go to whatever lengths to protect those he loves." The kettle's eyes were downcast, his mouth twisted into a frown. "Ever since the curse though… he's often nothing but depression or rage, there's not much in-between."

She took a sip of the tea and felt its warmth soothe her insides. "I can only imagine…" Despite her fear and frustration with the beast, she couldn't help but feel she wouldn't be much different if she were placed in his shoes (or paws). She grabbed one of the many biscuits from the tea tray. "What are your names?"

"Oh! Wow I never introduced myself. I'm Hunk, head chef," the tea kettle said with a slight lean forward, the lid of his kettle lifting slightly to look like he was bowing and tipping his hat to her. "And this here is Shay."

The sugar pot gave her a soft smile. "Hello! I hope we can make your stay as pleasant as possible."

"Thank you," Pidge said with a mouth full of decadent biscuit. She swallowed and cleared her throat. "Sorry. I'm just awfully hungry."

Both Hunk and Shay had wide eyes. "Oh no! We can run to the kitchen and get you a proper meal-" Hunk started but Pidge lifted a hand between chews.

"It's fine, I actually want to sleep more than anything." She grabbed another biscuit from the tray. "These are astounding. I'll just eat Lance's portion and that should hold me over for now."

"If you're sure," Hunk said with a worried expression. "And don't hesitate to ask us for anything."

"We don't need to sleep so even if it's the middle of the night you can call us!" Shay explained.

Pidge frowned. It made sense that an inanimate object wouldn't need sleep but they were still _human_ and she was trying to understand what kind of a strange lifestyle that would be. She had so many questions about the castle and the master but she was too tired to process everything.

"Thank you... I'll be sure to let you know if I need anything." She covered her mouth as she yawned, feeling the tea and biscuits lulling her to sleep. She gave Hunk a skeptical look. "You don't think... your master will come back in here, do you?" She was still trying to figure out why he was so upset she had left the tower and his rage made her nervous. The last thing she wanted was for an angry beast with deadly claws to come barging into her room while she was vulnerable.

"We'll make sure he doesn't," Hunk promised. "You rest as long as you need, okay?"

She nodded, grabbing one last biscuit before they left her in silence. Even Romelle shifted out through the double doors, which made Pidge grateful. Even if she was a wardrobe, she felt uncomfortable having someone constantly there while she slept. She finished her biscuit and found the bed to be the most comfortable thing she had ever experienced. She untied her bindings under the comforter so she could more easily breathe, and it wasn't long before she passed out into a deep slumber.

* * *

When Pidge awoke the sun had set, shrouding her room in purple twilight. She laid in bed a while longer, carefully working her bindings back on in a slow, stealthy fashion in case any servants happened to be in the room (it was hard to tell when they were all objects). In the midst of her nightmare of the beast renting her apart, an answer came to her. She thought it over and rehearsed it in her mind until she was satisfied, then sat up and laced her boots.

Romelle wasn't in the room nor any other servants as far as she could tell so she took this opportunity to slowly open the drawers of the nightstands and dresser to explore their contents for an object she needed. When she found a suitable substitute, she hid it in the side of her right boot.

She ran into Shiro far too quickly, almost as soon as she exited the hallway. "Sleep well, Pidge?"

"Umm… excellent, thank you." She felt her stomach twisting at what she was about to do but she had already committed her mind to it. She had to see her family again. "Where is the master at?"

"I wouldn't bother him… he's not in a good mood."  
  
"Is he ever?" she spilled without thinking. She shook her head, brows lowered. "I… I wanted to apologize to him, actually. We got off on the wrong foot and I wanted to address him formally."

Shiro's silver metal brows rose. " _Oh_. Well then. That's very cordial of you." He frowned pensively at her for a moment before starting down the hallway. "He's in the main chambers. I'll lead you there."

The candelabra led her down the grand staircase to the main level and back down the east wing to tall double doors. Warm firelight escaped the gap beneath, giving them an eerie glow despite Shiro's candlelight in the darkened hallway. He gave her a soft bow and left her to address him on her own. She wasn't sure if she was grateful for the privacy or if his lack of presence gave more rise to her anxiety. Her anticipation caused her hand to tremble before gripping the elegant handle to one of the doors and carefully opening it and slipping in without a sound. She saw the beast's bone white antlers sticking out from the top of the long couch which faced the blazing fireplace. Before she could even make it halfway across the spacious room, his voice called out dully to her.

"Do you normally walk so light-footed?"

She bit her lip, realizing now it was naïve of her to try sneaking up on a creature of heightened senses. He could probably hear her from all the way by the entrance as she came down the stairs. She straightened up and walked closer to the couch. "I wasn't certain whether you were asleep or not."

He let out a snort. "A likely story." He trained his cool eyes on her as soon as she made her way to the front of the couch. "Why are you here?"

She was starting to think this was a bad idea. Despite Lance's languid pose laying on his stomach along the couch, he looked like a terrifying Sphynx who would devour her if she answered his questions wrong. The hellish light from the fireplace illuminating his deadly features only added to her apprehensiveness. She took a hard swallow and tried to find her voice.

"I wanted to apologize," she started. The beast's raised eyebrows were a hopeful sign. "Clearly you're the master of this house and I should have respected that. I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping me in the tower and I should have stayed there regardless of what I wanted." Every word felt sour in her mouth and she prayed the beast wouldn't detect her insincerity. "It was wrong of me to act the way I have, and I'm sorry." She bent over in a bow to help make her apology believable, and also so she wouldn't have to keep eye contact with those cruel ocean eyes.

He was silent a bit too long and Pidge wondered if she should straighten up but his voice came in softly, its sharpened edge dulled. "Is that so?"

When she looked up from her subordinate position, his features didn't reflect his tone. He was smiling with devilish fangs, his eyes glinting in amusement and ears perked forward attentively. His voice was smooth and it sent a chill up her spine despite the fire's overwhelming warmth.

"You expect me to _believe_ that?"

Pidge didn't know how to respond but straightened up with a clenched jaw, her eyes never daring to leave the beast as she silently challenged him as fear wavered deep in her core like a tree trembling in the wind.

"You don't see me as the master of this house and you certainly don't respect me, but I suppose fear will have to do as an alternative for now." Contempt had returned to his features, his ears pinned back and tail flicking irritably. "It _was_ wrong of you to act that way and you are definitely _not_ sorry. But mark my words, you _will_ be if you continue to act so defiantly. You can stay in the east wing chambers… so long as you don't get the impression that you're a _guest_ here. Understood?"

It felt like a slap to her face and the heat rose in her cheeks. Her defiant nature wanted to kick and scream at his controlling remarks but the claws on his hands and feet kept her rooted to the spot and voiceless. All she could do was numbly swallow and nod before he got any more upset.

He gave her one last resentful look before training his eyes on the fire. She took that as her cue to leave so she quietly began her long walk back to the double doors. She stopped once she passed the couch, her heart rate accelerating as the adrenaline electrified her veins. She only needed a brief moment of bravery, of sheer willpower to escape this infernal prison. She had to do it for her father and brother, and most importantly her mother.

She had to escape for them.

Pidge reached down into her boot and with all the speed and precision she could muster, spun around and dug the scissors grasped in her hands into the side of the beast's neck. Everything happened so fast she barely registered that his long curved claws were embedded in her wrist as he glared at her with an ire that caused her heart to skip a beat.

Before she could register the pain or try to dig the shears deeper into his flesh, Lance was pulling her arm away to remove the blade in his throat and she was startled at the discovery of his blood that started to heavily spill.

The monster bled _blue._

He threw her to the ground in a furious and pained snarl and it was then as his claws raked through her arm and her shoulder slammed into the rug that she felt the stinging and the shock. Her left hand clasped around her crimson wrist and all she could do was gasp like a fish out of water as she saw more of her own blood than she ever had seen, oozing determinedly between her trembling fingers. She looked up with watered eyes to see Lance struggling, falling down onto his side as he held his neck, sapphire leaking across his white scaled hand and matting light brown fur. The ire had left his eyes and as he breathed weakly through his nose it seemed to match the gasping of her breaths. His eyes found hers and all she saw was her reflected fear.

She felt consciousness start to fade as the pain clawed her down into oblivion.


	5. Bindings

His memory came to him in flashes and Lance was terrified that the blood had triggered him into a trance. If he went feral while Pidge was bleeding out he would have devoured him. He remembered so much blood it stung in his nose, Pidge's terrified amber eyes closing, warmth leaking down his neck and over his hand, and his struggle to breathe as the blood and panic threatened to drown him.

When he woke he was still on the floor near the now cold and empty fireplace, his head propped on a pillow so his antlers wouldn't press into the floor. It hurt to breathe and with a hesitant hand to his neck he realized it was wrapped in bandages.

"Finally you're awake," Hunk's voice sounded close by. Lance could hear him clopping as he hopped towards him, his painted tea kettle face only a foot away from his. "What on earth did you say to that poor boy?"

His expression turned incredulous. "He _stabbed_ me and y-" he rasped painfully, having to stop entirely and wince as he shut his eyes and tried swallowing to wet his throat. Talking was a mistake.

"Pidge stabbed you because you _deserved it!"_ Hunk spewed. "I would say it's entirely unfair to keep him here prisoner to begin with, but the least you could do is treat him like you would a guest! You treat your servants better than you do him and that is sorely disappointing to me."

All Lance could do was frown and swivel his ears back. He was growing frustrated that he couldn't talk back and had to simply take the lecture from his valet and friend.

"Pidge is feeling _exactly_ as you felt at the beginning of the curse - torn from his family without a proper goodbye! I can't _believe_ you put him through the same pain you suffered when you should know better than _anyone_ that no one should have to endure that!"

He let out a huff through his nose but his eyes softened. He knew Hunk was right but he still couldn't calm the anger and frustration raging in his chest. His tail flicked but otherwise he laid there and listened, feeling like a child being scolded by its mother.

"I get where you're coming from, Lance… I really do." Hunk let out an exhausted sigh. "I understand you're irritated and miserable and that most of all you're _terrified._ I can't even imagine what it must be like to be cursed the way you are but I understand that you are in pain and you're reacting according to that pain. But Pidge is another human being, and if you treat him like one maybe you'll start to feel more human again as well."

 _It's not like he'll break the stupid curse though,_ Lance thought bitterly. He gave Hunk a twitch of his ear to show he understood, exhaling heavily as some form of a sigh. He didn't want to risk talking again but Hunk kept going and there wasn't exactly a way for him to tell him to stop.

"I think this opportunity could be really good for you. Sure, he won't break the curse but at least he'll help you feel more normal..." His eyes were downcast. "I'm sorry we couldn't adequately provide you the human contact you need..."

He wanted to reassure his friend that they were _objects_ and they were doing the best they could but the most he could do to show that was drooping his ear not pressed against the pillow. Even though he was a tea kettle now, Lance went ahead and swooped out his arm to pull Hunk against his chest in a strange kind of hug.

"I don't have arms to hug you but just imagine me doing it because I'm doing it right now," Hunk said sadly. "Just please try to give Pidge a chance, alright? And give yourself a chance... to be human again."

Lance couldn't keep any kind of promises and it was the first time he was glad he couldn't speak. What was he supposed to do when he actually did go feral? As each year passed he felt less and less confident that he would ever truly feel human again.

* * *

Just as soon as Hunk left the living room to allow Lance to rest, Romelle shrieked his name. He hopped up the stairs as fast as he could, gasping for air despite his lack of lungs when he reached Pidge's room. "What?!" he asked in a panic. He saw Pidge on the bed and he seemed to be breathing and he... he… _she…_

Pidge was a girl.

"Pidge is a girl! Pidge is a _giiiiiirl!"_ Romelle whispered excitedly as Hunk stared blankly at the bed.

"I... I see that..." he answered softly. "This…! This changes everything!"

"We could finally break the curse!"

"Woah hold up, this is no guarantee." His mouth turned into a thin painted line. "They _both_ have to love each other to break the curse, which are low odds considering she just tried to kill him. And we can't force that upon either of them, but... this definitely gives Lance an actual chance..."

"It gives _all_ of us a chance."

Hunk was silent a moment, staring at Pidge's steady breathing before turning to face Romelle again. "We can't let her know about the curse."

"What? Why not?! Doesn't that defeat the purpose??"

"No, think about it: if Pidge knows that loving Lance will break the curse that will _always_ be in the back of her mind so it will never be truly genuine. And that might be exactly what it takes to break the curse."

"Oh okay I won't tell her," Romelle said disappointingly. "Shouldn't we tell the master though?"

"Pidge clearly wanted to hide she was a girl for a reason - we'll leave that up to her whether she wants to reveal it or not. We have to respect her wishes."

"Alright fine," she huffed. "I was so excited to show her all my dresses..."

* * *

When Pidge awoke she felt incredibly disoriented. She forgot where she was for a moment and had to remember that the canopy above her head and the window with a view to the ocean was her room in the cursed castle. She remembered the scissors and the blood and the pain flared up in her arm. She saw it was all bandaged up and...

Her bindings were missing.

She instinctively grabbed the comforter to better cover herself but immediately regretted doing so as she cried out in pain. Romelle shuffled loudly into the room, her violet eyes wide on her wooden face.

"Are you okay??"

"Y-yeah... I think so..." She looked down at her wrist and wondered how bad the damage was underneath the bandages. "Does - does everyone know?"

"What? Oh, only me and Hunk - but don't worry, we won't tell anyone. Oh, and Shiro. But he won't tell anyone either."

"And the master...?"

"He doesn't know-"

"No, I mean... is he...?"

"Ohhhh, he's okay. He'll be fine. He can't talk at the moment though." She let out a short giggle. "He's resting downstairs."

Pidge wasn't sure why but she felt more relief hearing that the beast was still alive rather than dead. Regardless of her determination to escape the castle, she realized now it was rash and she would feel horrible for the rest of her days for taking a life, even a cursed one that decided to keep her prisoner. She had to remember that Lance was human and he didn't want to be a beast any more than she didn't want to be trapped in the castle.

"How did you bandage me?" _Or more importantly, how did you_ unbandage _me?_

Romelle shifted closer to the bed. "I have some control over clothing! See?" She pulled a bright green scarf out of one of her lower drawers and it hovered over to Pidge and wrapped itself around her neck. With her good hand, Pidge felt the softness of the cloth around her in awe of the magic.

"That's... quite convenient. Is that how you were also able to bandage Lance?"

Her painted face moved up and down a bit as if she were nodding. "It's not the prettiest of bandaging jobs but it's the best we can do for a castle full of handless people. I'll go get Hunk to get you some food now that you're awake." She shuffled back out of the room, the double doors closing behind her to leave Pidge in solitude.

She realized now that she was in a completely different shirt - Romelle probably took hers off because it was covered with blood. Of course she would have seen her bindings and probably had to take them off so Pidge could more easily breathe in the wake of her shock. She wasn't upset her secret was revealed, however... she knew it would inevitably happen. She was simply glad that the master hadn't found out and the staff was willing to keep her secret.

Now with an injured arm, her chances of escaping the castle were even more slim. She wanted to pry under the bandages to see the damage so she could estimate how long it would take her to heal, but she knew she'd best leave her right arm alone. It throbbed and ached and there wasn't much she could do besides leaving it rested across her lap.

Three of them knew her secret. She couldn't afford to have Lance find out and even though Romelle said he was downstairs resting she was waiting for him to come barging through the doors at any moment. She had to wonder if healing faster was a part of his curse of being a beast because she's fairly certain no man should have survived an injury to the neck like that without immediate proper medical attention.

A part of her wanted to sneak downstairs and observe him.

She was grateful for the tea which helped calm her wracked nerves and it wasn't long before she fell asleep once more. She was drained of blood and there wasn't much she could do to help speed up her healing aside from resting and taking it easy. She wanted to tell Romelle to keep Lance from coming upstairs but it sounded like he wasn't moving much either and she doubted the staff could do much to stop him.

When she awoke next it was late at night. The only light in her room was faint moonlight from the window, illuminating the edges of furniture in pale indigo. Romelle's familiar shape wasn't in the bedroom and Pidge took this as an opportunity to sate her curiosity.

She wore a loose shirt so she wasn't too worried about being unable to put her bindings back on (she already tried). She planned to avoid any direct contact with the beast anyways. She carefully made her way downstairs, relying only on what little light she had from windows lacking curtains.

Sure enough, the main parlor had a fireplace going. As she approached the orange glow, she saw the elongated shadow of antlers. She inched closer along the edge of the room where she could easily hide behind the darkness of furniture if needs be. When Lance made a sharp inhaling sound she stilled, holding her breath. She thought he was alerted to her presence but when he made the sound again she realized he was _sniffling_.

Was the beast _crying?_

Upon closer inspection, she saw his neck was bandaged, the white strips of cloth breaking up his dark fur. When she was close enough to see his clawed hands, she saw they held a glassy object. It appeared to be _moving_ and she couldn't quite fathom what it was. Her curiosity peaked and she found herself crouched to the side of the couch only a few feet behind Lance.

It was an embellished hand-held mirror, but the surface wasn't showing any kind of reflection. Knowing it was a mirror she could have jumped to the conclusion that Lance was looking at his own appearance and that was causing his grief, but something else was taking place here and Pidge wanted to know so badly how the mirror worked that her hands were itching to snatch it out of his claws. She knew that would have been stupid of her, but she couldn't help the gleeful thought from crossing her mind.

Suddenly Lance's ears swiveled towards her and she quickly pressed herself against the side of the couch, waiting with held breath as the room fell completely silent save for the occasional snap of the burning wood. It remained silent for too long but Pidge was scared to poke her head out to see if Lance returned his attention to the mirror.

There was sound of movement and some sort of hissing snort, and then all Pidge could hear was the steady breathing of the beast. She dared inch her head around the edge of the couch end and saw that Lance had laid down to sleep, his chest slowly rising and falling.

As she cautiously stood up, she saw the mirror was blank, the glassy surface reflecting part of the ceiling and gleaming in the firelight as one of Lance's scaled hands protectively secured it. Her insatiable curiosity thought about slowly pulling the mirror out and replacing something else beneath his paw like stealing a precious jewel from a sleeping dragon in one of her fantasy novels. She shook her head - that would have been a suicide mission.

She would have to learn the mysteries of the mirror another day.


	6. Thorns

Pidge wanted to explore the entirety of the castle and yet she also wanted to stay shut in her room. She had no idea if there were any other monsters she didn't know about living in locked-up rooms or if there was a magical tower that would curse her if she entered. She liked to be aware of her surroundings, especially if said surroundings were her indefinite prison, but she was also scared of Lance and figured it would be best to keep her distance.

Her curiosity and reason were at constant odds one with another.

Lance explicitly told her never to go towards the upper west wing. She assumed that's where he slept because he would pad down there late at night if he wasn't sleeping in the main foyer by the fireplace. But something curious tugged her towards the mysterious hallway, her imagination running wild at what kind of secrets a cursed man like Lance would be hiding there.

He healed remarkably fast for such an injury and was talking only a few days later (albeit his voice was a bit raspy). Pidge still had difficulty doing some of her chores with her wrist injury but she did the best she could to help out around the castle. Lance agreed to let her stay in the guest bedroom instead of the tower so long as she pulled her weight like the rest of the castle staff. She was being treated as another servant instead of a guest but she would gladly take that over a prisoner any day. She had to wonder if the beast would have kept her father as a prisoner or if he would eventually let him work as a servant as well.

Even though the enchanted staff could move objects similar to what they were cursed as, there were plenty of jobs that were too difficult for any of them to do. Pidge took care of these kinds of jobs, such as mopping the hardwood floors, wiping down the windows, and helping out around the kitchen. Luckily Lance kept to the harder jobs like splitting firewood and hauling packages when the food inventory came in. She should have known how sharp his claws were since she experienced them firsthand but it still sent a shudder down her spine when she saw him split giant logs of wood in half with his bare hands. She could only imagine what those strong arms and sharp claws of his could do to her if she didn't keep her guard up.

Pidge became useful for odd jobs which required hands that Lance couldn't quite do with his claws such as tuning Coran. She had little experience with harpsichords but the older gentleman was able to instruct her what to do as she tightened the right strings. She was slow working with only one good hand but he absolutely enjoyed the tune-up and played lovely melodies for her the rest of the day while she worked.

Lance sulkily remarked in the middle of her cleaning that he hadn't heard Coran play anything that wasn't downright depressing in years.

Suddenly Pidge was filled with fewer escape plans and more brainstorming on how to make this a better place for everyone involved.

She helped tighten Slav's cogs and polished Shiro's silver surface. She cleaned out Keith's stovetop and oiled Romelle's hinges. She did her best to smooth out claw marks in wooden surfaces such as the floor and stair railings. She helped cook meals and had Hunk teach her all his secrets to making the best tea and coffee. She even started helping Lance per his request to dress and undress since his claws made it difficult to do so without making tears in everything. She couldn't exactly protest since she was still under the guise of being male, so she did her best to not dwell upon the fact that she was undressing a guy on a regular basis.

Even disregarding his claws, she could see how it was near impossible for him to dress with his elongated feet, the feathers on his shoulders, the antlers, and his tail, since it was difficult even for her to pull clothes onto him. Luckily most of his shirts were button-ups otherwise his antlers would have prevented him from wearing anything else. According to Hunk, Lance spent most days naked and on the rare occasions where he did wear clothing it was only pants. Apparently he made more of an effort to at least wear pants once Pidge arrived but with how difficult dressing was she couldn't exactly blame his preference for nudity, especially during the warmer seasons. She could only imagine how hot it must be to be completely covered in fur.

"I can repair a lot of these pants and shirts if you'd like," Pidge suggested one day after helping Lance get dressed. She was examining a pair of pants that had gnarly rips along the sides. "I know how to sew."

"You what?" He quirked a brow at her, frowning in one corner of his mouth. "You know how to sew? Kind of an odd skill for a guy to know."

Pidge bit her lip in frustration. What kind of an excuse could she offer that wouldn't sound like a blatant lie?

"I mean, _I_ know how to sew but..." Lance held up his pearly white hands for emphasis. "You know."

"If _you_ know how to sew you can't exactly judge _me_ for knowing!" she spat. "Besides, my mother is ill, so she taught me the mending basics." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the causation of her knowing the skill. "Someone had to help out with clothing repairs and my brother and father were useless," she added for good measure with a reflective chuckle.

"Well... you do have small hands," he remarked. "That has to make it easier. I always struggled with threading the needle."

"So why do _you_ know how to sew? Don't you have a tailor to do it for you? I'm guessing that's what Romelle used to be?"

"Hunk was my valet when I was younger and Romelle claims she's horrible at sewing... though I doubt it. I learned from my sisters and I found I enjoyed it." He shrugged, his teal feathers ruffling slightly. "But if you can sew up all my... my ruined clothes, that would be... I would appreciate that."

If Lance weren't covered in fur, Pidge reckoned his face would be bright red. He awkwardly shuffled out of the room, his ears and tail constantly twitching. She had the hardest time reading him - one moment he was brittle and angry and the next he was soft and melancholic. She held the assumption that Lance was an only child, spoiled in riches, but he mentioned not only one sister but multiple sisters. It left her wondering more and more about the beast and despite her wish to leave she held a tugging interest in his alluring mystery.

One afternoon she was trying to inch her way closer to the upper west wing as she innocently worked on scrubbing the floors of the hallway, hoping she could sneak a glance into one of the rooms when she was certain Lance was outside. He went outside for a little bit every day regardless of the weather and she figured he went on walks (or runs) in the fresh air to help keep his sanity.

Unfortunately he caught her halfway down the rich maroon walls.

He appeared as if he was looking for her, his head looking around as he came up the stairs. He was on all fours as usual, his claws clicking softly against the hardwood floor as he approached. He came up to her and crouched down slightly to be on her level where she was currently on her hands and knees.

"What are you doing down here?" he asked, his tone neutral.

Pidge felt like a startled deer, the prey frozen in fear of the predator. "I-I'm down by the floor because I'm s-scrub-scrubbing?"

Lance looked away for a moment and took a deep inhale. "Not the FLOOR, the _WEST WING!"_

She shrank down closer to the floor, her heart thrumming like a rabbit inside her chest. "I... I had to make sure all the floors were scrubbed clean like you as-"

"I _distinctly_ told you not to go to the upper west wing!" he snarled, sharp canines and molars flashing. His fingers were tensed against the wood like a cat unsheathing its claws.

"Why?" she braved the unknown, her voice cracking slightly in fear. "What are you hiding?"

 _"Nothing,"_ he hissed, a terrifying unnatural sound rising from his throat.

She swallowed heavily, her voice rising to match his. "Why are you keeping me here?!"

"Why do you _think!?_ Have you _LOOKED_ at me?? Keeping you here is the only insurance your family doesn't sell me out to the world to be hunted and experimented and tortured!"

"My family would not _do_ that!"

"How do you know? I'm certain I would go for a hefty price that would help towards curing your mother of her illness!"

Pidge felt the protest die in her throat. He made a valid point and he had every reason to be scared. She could not say she would not do something similar in his shoes (or paws) to secure herself and her family. But she could not imagine - she _hoped_ her father or Matt would never go to the lengths of selling off another human to save their mother. She frowned at the beast, her eyes determined. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen. Please, Lance... let me go! I miss my family!"

"Oh, don't even act like you feel lonely! LET ME TELL YOU what _LONELY_ is like! You miss what, three people?" he hissed. "I miss _eleven_ and I will never see any of them ever again! You are only stuck here until my curse ends!"

She paused a moment, taken aback by what he said. She tried to switch gears in the midst of her panic. "I promise we'll leave you alone. We won't tell anyone about your existence. Why can't you just _trust_ me?"

"Because humans are horrible and selfish."

"And _you_ would know all about that, wouldn't you."

"Says the one who tried to _murder_ me."

There was a deep growl that slithered from his clenched teeth and for a moment Pidge was scared he was on the verge of attacking her. Lance held all the signs of aggressive body language from his claws digging into the wood to his raised feathers and fur. She had a feeling if she tried to leave he might have some predatory instincts kick in and try to chase her. She didn't know the extent of his curse and she reckoned the best course of action was to remain still but the fire in his wild eyes pierced her down to her core.

"I'm sorr-"

 _"NO YOU'RE NOT!"_ his rage filled and echoed down the entire hall. "You only see me as a _monster_ , you can't see that I'm suffering a _curse_ , that I'm- that I used to-"

The tightness in her chest started to ache when she saw his anger completely dissolve. It was the most heartbreaking transformation she ever saw in a creature and it happened in a manner of seconds. One moment he looked coiled like a spring, ready to pounce and attack, and then the next his entire body slouched, ears drooped and expression crestfallen. He took a step back and turned around to leave the way he came. She watched him saunter away with heavy limbs down the stairs and out of sight.

Pidge released her held breath, sucking in a confused gasp when she blinked to find her eyes were wet. All of her tense muscles finally relaxed and she felt exhausted, as if his words physically drained her. She sat there for a long time, contemplating everything that was running through her mind and holding her bandaged wrist close to her chest. She wasn't sure how to feel about everything that transpired and the mixed emotions continued to rage within her. After a few minutes to calm her beating heart, she grabbed her bucket and washcloth and moved to a different part of the castle to continue working.

She didn't see any sign of Lance the rest of the day.

* * *

Lance hated himself so much.

He could barely remember what it was like to be human and the thought terrified him to his core. Every passing year he felt more and more of himself slip away as he transformed into something else entirely. He eventually came to terms with his changed form and being a wild animal didn't bother him so much anymore. It was the fact that he _thought_ like a monstrous creature and had urges he couldn't control were what deeply disturbed him. He was completely powerless of his fate and the lack of control in the direction of his life made him more hopeless than ever.

He stood on the icy pebbles of the ocean's shoreline, watching the waves roll and crash against the rocks. He barely felt the cold surface against his scaled palms and feet but by the chilling breeze ruffling his feathers he knew a storm was approaching. The ocean reflected his mood with turbulent waves and dreary shades of gray, clouds rolling in from the distant horizon.

Hunk told him to give Pidge a chance and seemed convinced that his company would help Lance to feel more human. But ever since Pidge arrived - and even the day before when his father and brother were here - Lance was only reminded how far from human he had become. It felt like setting up a bunch of mirrors where he was constantly reminded of what he was, and Pidge was a blatant example of what he was not.

And what he would never be again.

Hunk even had the audacity to encourage Lance to sit down and eat dinner with Pidge as if he were a relative or long time friend or esteemed guest. Pidge was his _insurance_ and he wasn't about to indulge in treating him like he wanted him there.

Lance knew he didn't have much time left. The curse's metaphorical hourglass was reaching the last bits of sand and he would release Pidge before he fully became a monster. He didn't care what happened to him after that point. He could be hunted and slaughtered and mounted on a wall and he would consider it well deserved. He only hoped he didn't harm or kill anyone before the end of his inevitable fate.

He laid down against the cold ground and stared at the sea as the sun went down, his raging fears and despair reflecting in the violently rising tide.

* * *

"Have you seen Lance?" Pidge asked Shiro and Slav the next morning. The candlestick and clock were playing chess in the foyer and Shiro was happy to remove his attention from the game. "I haven't seen him since yesterday and he's nowhere in the castle... I haven't exactly checked the west wing though."

Shiro waved his candlesticks out to the sides as if he were shrugging. "Sometimes he goes outside for a while. He's probably sleeping in the west wing."

"Can you go check? Or someone? Has anyone seen him?"

Shiro's silver brows lowered. "What happened? You're oddly concerned-"

"Well it _snowed_ last night and I'm wondering if he..." Pidge looked like she was holding back frustration but she took a deep breath instead. "I just don't want to find out he's dead somewhere!"

"Alright Pidge," he said softly, reassuringly. "I'll go check if he's over there." He thought it was interesting how within only a week Pidge went from attempted murder to worrying if Lance was dead. He could not say what inspired this change in her but he felt a hope spark inside him at the possibility that this girl could thaw his master's heart.

She followed him up the stairs and stayed at the beginning of the hall while he continued further down. When he pushed open the door to Lance's bedchambers it was dark and he found no signs of him, concern slowly starting to consume him. He checked the balcony and every other room in the west wing and found no sign or even trace that the master was there. He saw the sapphire rose was still standing and glowing against the gently falling snow outside the floor-length window. If the rose was still alive, so was Lance.

As soon as Shiro started hopping down the hallway to tell Pidge, he heard the heavy front door burst open, Pidge turning towards the sound. "Lance?" she called out, rushing down the stairs.

Lance wasn't covered in blood like he usually was when he disappeared for long periods of time, but he looked exhausted and cold. He casually shut the door behind him with one of his back legs. Pidge ran up to him but he walked on past her towards the foyer, ignoring her questions and protests that he was going to get sick. Hunk must have heard because his tea tray cart came rushing after them.

"Would you please say something?!" Pidge burst with a voice that echoed in the grand room, causing Lance to look over his shoulder from where he was pulling firewood from the pile next to the hearth. His eyes were murderous and Shiro was scared for Pidge's safety when the master was in a mood such as this. He followed as quickly as he could behind Hunk, glad to see Shay was also there to dispel any tension.

"Lance are you alright?" Hunk asked, his tone concerned but also stern.

His eyes darted from Pidge to Hunk to Shiro and landed back again on Pidge. "I'm _fine."_ His voice came out raspy and unconvincing. He threw a log into the fireplace and turned to grab Shiro by the column (which felt a lot like being grabbed by his torso) and used his flames to light the log before setting him back down. He violently grabbed another log and tossed it into the flames, sparks springing to life with a hiss.

"Where were you, Lance?" Shiro asked. "No one has seen you since yesterday afterno-"

"What does it even _matter_ where I was?!" he snapped. "I come and go as I please."

"We were _worried_ about you! Were you outside _all_ night? You could have _died,_ Lance!"

"Well _good for me,"_ he snarled bitterly as he curled up in front of the fire. Pidge stormed right up behind him and grasped him by the top part of his antlers, pulling his head back and forcing him to look up at her.

"You don't get to talk like that, not when so many people here care about you," she said sternly.

Lance narrowed his cool eyes at her. "Why do _you_ care? You tried to _kill_ me a few days ago, in case you forgot."

"I know! I know..." Her eyes softened and she looked away in guilt. Her grip around his antlers loosened but Lance kept his head looking up at her. "And I know it's impossible to try and convince you I'm not a hypocrite but I felt awful for what I did... and I still do. I only saw you as a monster to slay instead of... I'm sorry. I really am sorry..."

He stared at her a moment longer, his expression hard to read but his ears were pinned back. He slowly lowered his head and laid his chin down against his arm, closing his eyes to rest. Pidge's hands hovered awkwardly but she slowly stepped away to grab a blanket from one of the chests in the foyer and draped it over his large form. She noticed the intricate stitching of constellations splayed along his back and wondered who had made it for him. It was beautifully crafted but she could still tell it was crafted from an amateur, not a professional. There was someone out there who loved him and they made this blanket for him...

Pidge slowly left the foyer, somehow feeling both empty and heavy at the same time.


End file.
